


Bad Days Can Be Good

by Soyna



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-06
Updated: 2011-07-06
Packaged: 2017-10-21 03:23:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/220367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soyna/pseuds/Soyna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>Cloud is having a really bad day that turns out to be not that bad after all.</b></p>
            </blockquote>





	Bad Days Can Be Good

**Author's Note:**

> **Setting:** Crisis Corish
> 
>  **Rating, Genre and Warnings:** Fluffy fluff fluff. T, cause kissing and boy loving.
> 
>  **Characters:** Cloud and Sephiroth
> 
>  **Disclaimer:** All related Final Fantasy names and characters are copyrighted by the almighty Square Enix©. I do not profit from this endeavour.

All forms of transportation, except his boots, were on his shit-list. Cloud hated the fact that he was currently on his knees by a muddy river puking his guts out because of the bumpy road, and that the truck driver was actually trying to make his stomach crawl out of his mouth.

"Oh, come on. My driving is not that bad," Joseph said and squatted beside him. Cloud looked over to his so called blue-haired friend and frowned.

"Get lost," he croaked and tried to keep what little was in his stomach down.

"You should have taken your pills before you got in the truck!" Joseph said and threw some rocks into the river.

"I did!" Cloud yelled back, turning quickly to his friend. He would have yelled more if his stomach contents didn't decide to fight their way up his throat. Violently.

He turned back to the river and fed the fishes.

He heard Joseph mutter how gross that it was, but the fishes that were eating his breakfast were really pretty. If Cloud had the strength, he would have thrown Joseph in the river to get a closer look. Joseph gave him a quick pat on the back, and he was finally left alone.

He stayed kneeling in the mud and staring at the water until his stomach settled. He needed a little more time when a voice called to him. "Strife?" The voice caused him to jump because he didn't hear footsteps approaching him. "Are you all right?"

He closed his eyes and steeled himself for what he was to see. He hoped he was wrong but as he looked up and dared to open his eyes, it was who he thought it was.

Sephiroth was looking down on him with a strange expression on his face. It was somewhere in between disgust and concern; maybe a little bit more disgust. He did just puke his guts out, and he wouldn't blame Sephiroth for being sickened with him at this moment.

He didn't bother to straighten himself up. He looked at the General, still with his knees covered in mud, his face pale and his chin most likely covered in vomit. It was beyond recovering any dignity. "As well as I can be, sir," he said and wiped his chin with his sleeve, and it was indeed disgusting.

Sephiroth seemed to contemplate something and then held out his hand; Cloud saw that he had a water bottle. "Here. At least rinse your mouth out."

Cloud raised his eyebrows at that and he reached with a muddy glove to take the water. Sephiroth didn't say anything more, but turned to join the rest of the men on the other side of the truck.

He took off his gloves so he could open the bottle and rinse his mouth out before he took a big gulp. His stomach didn't react negatively to the water and he was able to stand.

He was a mess and he knew it. He hated getting car sick. He tried to scrape as much mud off his clothes as possible and regain a shred of pride back as he finished the water. He retrieved his gun and helmet just before the rain started to fall.

He didn't get his rain gear on quick enough, not that it mattered anyway. He was already wet before he could get on the dark green poncho that was supposed to protect him from the rain. It didn't take long to be completely soaked as they walked down a hill, into some driving wind and — it seemed the fates were against him completely this mission — he slipped.

It was the most humiliating moment of his life as he landed on his ass and slid all the way down the muddy hill, losing his gun and helmet in opposite directions, trying to gain purchase on the clay-slickened hill with his hands and gaining none as he tumbled in a mess at the bottom … at Sephiroth's feet.

This was the worst day he had ever had.

Everyone was silent as they looked at him. He could hear them holding their breaths despite the pouring rain. Cloud could only stare up at Sephiroth at the look of confusion on his face, and this time it looked like pity as well.

"Strife, are you …" Sephiroth started but was interrupted by the sound of someone snorting out a laugh. The simple sound caused an eruption of laughter among the men. Cloud knew who started it; it was Joseph. He regretted not throwing him in the river so he could be as miserable as he was.

He managed to get to his feet and nearly fell into Sephiroth as he slipped again in the mud. He was grateful that he didn't reach out and touch him to balance.

He didn't want to be the one that covered him in mud because he was too clumsy to stay on his own two feet. He gained his balance and gave Sephiroth a quick salute. "Sorry, sir." He then trudged off towards the other infantry members, promptly tripping Joseph as he walked by, so he would feel a little better about how craptacular his day was going.

The squad leader stopped laughing enough to give order for what they were supposed to be doing in this infernal jungle in the rain and mud. They were just the back up squad for the group that was going in with Sephiroth.

He had never been so happy to be the backup. The way things were going with this mission so far, he would have caused it to fail right off the bat.

He listened to the orders from his squad leader and then Sephiroth spoke in a deep voice that the rain could not drown out from the cowl of his raincoat. "You will stop anything that comes down this path that is not Shin-Ra."

It summed everything up much better than the ten minute blather that they were just forced to listen to. They got into line as Sephiroth's group left and they were forced to stand in the mud and get pelted by the rain with the hope that they didn't actually have to fight in the jungle.

hr

Cloud was frozen in place. His knees were locked and he was pretty sure that he couldn't uncurl his hands from his gun without breaking any of his fingers. Thankfully nothing came down the path but Sephiroth and the rest of the troopers that followed him. Sephiroth's voice broke through the rain that was still pounding them with a simple, "We are done here. We can use a small farm up ahead to dry out before we travel home."

The dark figure was all that Cloud could see, but his words were welcome. Everyone else felt the same as they all moved forward. Cloud forced his feet to move but they felt like they were embedded in concrete bricks — which wasn't too far from the truth as they were nearly encased in clay.

"Hey, Cloud."

He looked up to see Joseph.

"Ya gonna make it?"

"I'm fine," Cloud said through his clenched teeth. As soon as he unclenched his teeth they would start chattering. He was going to give Zack hell for telling him the jungles were warm. He lied.

"Aw, come on, you're not mad at me, are you bro?" Joseph said. He looked comfortable and warm under his rain poncho.

"I hate you," Cloud said simply and tried to walk quicker but his legs just wouldn't move.

"Love you too, Cloudy." Joseph decided that it was a good time to slap him on the back right then. At that moment Cloud also attempted to step over a log, and with the fact that his feet didn't want to lift high enough, he tripped.

And landed face-first on the muddy trail with laughter ringing in his ears.

He wished someone would just shoot him in the back of his skull already. This day couldn't get any worse.

"That's enough!"

Cloud wished he could bury himself in the mud. It would be better than this. "You. Take his pack." Cloud lifted his head to see Sephiroth pointing to Joseph who was nodding vigorously.

He watched as Sephiroth knelt in the mud and looked at him. "Are you all right?"

He really didn't want to answer. "Fine, sir."

Cloud could see the look of disgust on Sephiroth's face again. Cloud chose to stick his face back in the mud. It was easier than facing that look from the man that he thought of as a hero.

He didn't remember getting to his feet but somehow Joseph got him going and dragged him. He was ruined. Car sickness, frozen to the bone, hands cramping, covered in mud and humiliated to death in front of the General.

His life was over.

"Put him in that cabin."

Cloud didn't even raise his eyes as he shuffled to where he was told to go. They could dump him in a corner so that he wouldn't get the rest of the men dirty. He hoped that it would at least be dry in there.

"There's a functioning bathroom inside. Strife, I recommend you use it."

Cloud blinked and looked to Sephiroth who still had that look of disgust on his face. Cloud was certain that he must have smelled too from his look. "Of course, sir," he said simply and dragged his feet towards where he was ordered to go.

He didn't pay attention to anything else but his own misery as he went to the cabin, and had he been paying attention, he would have noted that Sephiroth was ordering everyone else to the shelter of a nearby barn and to shoo some chocobos out that were being kept in there.

He entered the little house and removed his boots, having to lean against the wall so that he didn't fall on his face again. He saw the door to the bathroom across the building and assessed his clothes. The mud was wet enough and seemed to cling to him, so he took the chance. He walked across the floor and into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Cloud started to undress out of the heavy mud-incrusted clothing when he saw how he looked in the mirror.

No wonder Sephiroth looked at him with disgust. His hair looked like a brown matted mess and showed no trace of its natural blond color. His face looked as though someone gave him a mud pack facial, and his eyes were blood shot. He looked like a scarecrow or a mudbog monster.

"My career is over," Cloud said simply. No one in SOLDIER would ever look like this. There was no way that he was going to ever get in when Sephiroth saw him puking and looking like something that crawled out of the basement of the Shin-Ra building.

He closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths before he dared start cleaning himself up, but he didn't dare take a look at the mirror again. He threw all his wet and dirty clothes in a pile and walked into the tiny shower that was there. The water wasn't too warm but it was warmer than the rain that he had been in. He scrubbed himself and was surprised at how much mud was on his skin and hair. It took a little while to get it off, but he started to feel a little better.

His life was ruined because of this mission and that knowledge hit him like a tonne of bricks.

Over. Done like toast. Done like breakfast. Done … just so, over and done.

He shut off the water, got out of the shower and dried himself off. He wrapped one towel around his waist while he dried his hair with another, and that was when he had a horrible thought. He didn't have his pack — Joseph did.

He didn't have a change of clothes.

He could not put on those clothes that looked like a pile of goo in the corner.

Yet another reason that he was a failure. He should have ensured he had something to change into and now he was in a strange place with the only thing that he had to wear was a thin towel.

"Strife?" a stern and thick voice called from the other side of the bathroom door. He nearly jumped out of his skin as Sephiroth's voice resonated through the room.

"Sir!" he said quickly, and was glad that his voice wasn't shaking.

"Are you finished in there?"

"Yes, sir," he said and looked at himself in the mirror. He was clean and looked human again. Way too human, as he was naked. "But I don't have my pack."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Sephiroth sounded confused.

Cloud covered his face with one hand and ensured that the towel was not going to fall off with the other. "I don't have any clothes, sir."

He was greeted with silence. He was so going to be thrown out of Shin-Ra for this. Hadn't he had enough humiliation today with being a failure in front of the General? And now he was going to be forced to walk in front of him with just a towel around his waist.

"My life sucks," he muttered to himself.

"I will get you some clothes and bring them to you."

Cloud leaned against the wall, still covering his face with both his hands now, and was very grateful that he couldn't be seen. "Thank you, sir," he called.

He didn't hear anything for a moment and assumed that Sephiroth went to go get Joseph who had his pack. He looked in the mirror and tried to control his hair, which was even worse than normal.

On days like this, he wanted to shave it off. It wouldn't matter soon. This mission cemented his failure and he was going to be sent home. His life was over, might as well start looking more like a bum and grow his hair longer and let it go completely wild.

"Strife?"

It was still Sephiroth's voice. That startled him. He had been waiting for Joseph to come barging in with his gunny and announce that all his clothes and pack had been ruined from the tumbles that he had taken in the mud.

"Sir," he answered, standing straighter, even though he couldn't see him.

"I am afraid that your clothes are not suitable for you to wear at the moment but I have found some substitutions." The door opened a crack and a small bag appeared, was dropped on the floor and the door closed. "Put your other clothes in the bag for laundering when you emerge."

Cloud looked at the bag and sighed. He shuffled over to it and opened it up. He threw his towel to the side as he pulled out a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt that looked much too big for him. Cloud really didn't care anymore. He put them on. The pants felt like they were going to fall off and he was swimming in the shirt, but it was better than walking around in a towel. He went to his mired clothing and carefully put them in the bag before he dared leave the room.

He opened the door and prepared to be given shit for his behaviour.

Sephiroth was talking in a low voice to the squad leader and Joseph was beside him and gave an enthusiastic wave. He snapped to attention but quickly had to grab his sweatpants to keep them from falling down.

Joseph refrained from laughing and Cloud couldn't look at them anymore. He didn't want to see the disappointment in the faces of the other men … especially Sephiroth.

"He will be excused from patrols for the night," Sephiroth said. "Bring enough rations for myself and Strife. I will check on the men after we eat."

"Yes, sir."

He looked up, a little shocked at the statement. He was staying here.

With Sephiroth.

Joseph's eyebrows were in his hair and he mouthed, "what the fuck".

Cloud had to bite his lip to not say it.

"I'm glad we have an understanding," Sephiroth said. "Have his bag laundered and you are dismissed."

They left, Joseph looking at him and whispered a "call me" as he took his bag. Cloud looked at him and wanted to call him an idiot. If his phone still worked it was in the laundry bag that he was carrying out.

The only one that was in the room with him was Sephiroth.

The General. The Demon of Wutai. The pride and joy of Shin-Ra. The Elite SOLDIER.

With him … the biggest failure that had ever tried to be in SOLDIER.

"Have a seat, Strife," Sephiroth said as he pointed to a small couch. "You have had a rough day."

"Thank you, sir," he whispered as he shuffled over to the couch. He had rolled up his pant legs but they were still to long and he didn't want to trip as his legs still felt heavy as he walked.

He swallowed and sat down. He couldn't look at him as he did so. He had to hold his pants up as he walked. It was very important that they stay up. The last thing he wanted to do was to moon Sephiroth.

"Is your stomach better?" Sephiroth asked.

"It's better, sir," Cloud said. His stomach was the least of his problems at the moment.

"You can drop the 'sir', Cloud," Sephiroth said and walked towards a high-backed chair, taking off his coat as he walked. Cloud gaped at him. Sephiroth was standing in front of him without a shirt. His coat was thrown on the chair and he started to undo his belly armour, and soon he was standing there just in his leather pants. This was the first he noticed that Sephiroth was not wearing his boots or socks. "It is Cloud, right?"

He blinked and looked up from Sephiroth's bare feet and had to force his eyes to keep going up to meet his. "Huh?" he said and cringed inside and he berated himself for not only ogling Sephiroth's feet but sounding like a moron.

"You're Zackary's friend, Cloud, right?" Sephiroth said as he sat down on the chair with a heavy thump. He then crossed one of his bare feet over his knee and began to massage his own foot.

"Uh … yeah," he said and looked at his lap. He wished he were back in the mud. It would be easier to deal with rain, mud and being cold than sounding like a moron in front of Sephiroth.

"He did warn me that you got a little car sick," Sephiroth said as he massaged his foot and wiggled his toes. Cloud couldn't help but watch.

"I don't usually get that bad, sir," Cloud said lowly. "It was a really rough ride." He took the pills and did all the breathing exercises that he had learned to control it, but it had not helped this time around.

"I noticed," Sephiroth grunted. "That blue-haired one is not going to be allowed to drive again if he is going to throw the troopers around in the back of the truck like that."

Cloud felt a little better that Joseph was going to get in trouble too. Joseph really was a terrible driver and should never have been allowed behind the wheel, but he also couldn't sit still. Either he drove or drove everyone insane with his wiggling in the back of the truck.

Sephiroth finished massaging his foot and set it to the floor. He leaned back and ran his fingers through his long silver hair and Cloud watched in amazement as it cascaded around his shoulder. "This weather is murder on my hair as I see it has done wonders for yours as well." Cloud self-consciously reached up to his hair and blushed. "It is very much like Zack's in how it spikes up in a manner that should defy all logic." Sephiroth continued as he ran his fingers through the ends of his hair. "I do hate going out in the rain."

"Agreed, sir," Cloud said and put his hands in his lap and clutched them together. He couldn't believe that he was having a conversation with General Sephiroth about hair and weather.

Sephiroth focused on the ends of his hair and worked out the knots with his fingers for a few moments. Cloud wondered if he should say something but decided against it as he already had shown how wonderful his conversation skills were today. He had sounded like the country hick that he was.

Cloud sat and found himself staring at Sephiroth as he stroked his surprisingly long fingers through the silver hair. Then he thought about something that caused him some alarm.

Zack had talked to Sephiroth … about him.

"Sir?" he asked. Sephiroth raised his head and his green eyes focused on him. "Did you say that Zack talked to you … about me?"

Sephiroth made a small affirmative noise. "And please, call me Sephiroth. I don't think there is any need for us to be formal while we stay here for the night."

Cloud knew he was staring and he was almost afraid to blink. There were so many things that was said in that sentence.

First, Zack had talked to Sephiroth about him. What was Zack doing talking to Sephiroth about him? He wasn't anyone important. Second, he was told to call Sephiroth by his name. Third … they were staying the night and he was a mess.

"Yes, Cloud. The trucks are bogged in mud and even if we were to get to the helicopters, the rain is coming down too hard for them to fly safely," Sephiroth said and stood from the chair and walked toward the door.

There was a knock just as Sephiroth reached it and opened it. "Sir, the rations that you asked for."

"Place them on the table. Is that the tea that I requested?" Sephiroth said. Cloud watched with wide eyes as Joseph and one of the other troopers came in with a basket that must have contained food and a large kettle that was steaming.

"Yes, sir," they both said. Joseph gave him a wink as he set things down on the table.

"Good," Sephiroth said as he opened the basket. "Dismissed."

"Sir, yes, sir!" And they left.

He watched the door for a moment and Cloud tried to figure out what was going on. He then turned to the small table where Sephiroth was unpacking the basket. "Cold sandwiches, cheese and some fruit. Well, that's better than those protein bars. At least we have some warm tea." He watched as Sephiroth pulled out two cups from the basket and then filled them.

"Are you going to come over and have something? I bet you're starving. It has been at least ten hours since, as your friend put it, fed the fishes." Sephiroth held up an apple that looked blue.

Cloud blushed. He really was going to have to kill Joseph later for his stupid little comments. He placed a hand on his stomach. He was rather hungry and the tea smelled spicy and even a blue apple looked good enough to eat.

"I guess I'm a little hungry," Cloud said and stood up. He had to hold his pants up as he walked to the small table and sat on a stool. A warm cup was placed in front of him and it did smell and felt great as he wrapped his fingers around the cup. "What kind of tea is this?"

Sephiroth sat on the stool opposite of him and took a sip from his own cup. "I don't know. I'm not a connoisseur of tea. There is a pilot I know that always demands Earl Grey when we have meetings; amusing, loud fellow. I think the last time he was here he asked my secretary for some 'goddamn tea', and he got the answer, 'there is no such thing as goddamn tea, so sit down and drink what we have'." Sephiroth chuckled and Cloud smiled. "It was an amusing meeting. He didn't give her any more grief after that, or me for that matter."

"Sounds like it would have been interesting," Cloud said as he reached for one of the wrapped sandwiches that were on the table.

"There are plenty of characters in Shin-Ra," Sephiroth said as he took a bite of the apple. "Like our friend Zackary."

Cloud nodded in agreement as he unwrapped his sandwich. "Is it alright to ask you a question, sir?"

"You can speak freely, and call me Sephiroth." The General took another drink of his tea. "I do appreciate the courtesy though. After dealing with Zackary, manners are appreciated."

Cloud nodded and then tested out his name. "Sephiroth, what did Zack say about me?" It felt odd saying it.

Sephiroth chuckled. "Other than the fact that you got car sick, had wilder hair than his and that you were a country bumpkin like him?"

Cloud couldn't help but sigh as he bit into the sandwich. He looked down at the food. Zack was always embarrassing him like that and apparently he had been talking to Sephiroth about him.

"He's only said good things about you," Sephiroth said and took another bite of his apple.

Cloud's shoulders slumped. All of the actions today showed that there was nothing good about him. He was not cut-out to be a SOLDIER at all. He couldn't even ride in a truck without puking his guts out. He slowly took a bite of the sandwich, even though he wasn't all that hungry any more.

"Everyone has bad days."

Cloud looked up and saw that Sephiroth was staring at him with that same kind of annoyed look that he received before. His brow furrowed and he had a frown on his face. The last thing Cloud wanted to do was annoy him.

"I have a lot of bad days," Cloud whispered and looked down at the sandwich in front of him. He definitely wasn't very hungry anymore.

"Zackary did say that you got down on yourself quite a bit," Sephiroth said and there was a crunch of him biting into the apple. "It's a bad habit."

He slouched further in his chair. He was going to get lectured about his moods again. Zack always talked to him about it and now he was going to get lectured by Sephiroth, of all people, as well. Not that it really mattered; his career was over after today's performance.

"Yes, sir," Cloud said and frowned at his lap. He was going to kill Zack before he went home for talking to Sephiroth about him.

There were some more apple-crunching sounds. "Did Zack tell you about the last mission I was on with him?"

He shook his head but looked up. Sephiroth's face was so hard to read. "No."

"We were in Corel. It was just us and a few men. Simple mission to find some left over Ravens." Sephiroth took a sip of his tea. "You should drink some more before it gets cold."

Cloud grabbed his cup and took a sip. It was very good tea.

"He insisted on not wearing his uniform because it was too hot in the heat of the desert. He decided that it was more effective if he were to just wear a pair of shorts while we hunted the threat. His words were, 'and I could get a tan.'"

Cloud remembered that. "Is that the mission he came back looking like a lobster?"

Sephiroth chuckled. "Yes, that was the mission. I suppose he downplayed it."

"He said something about getting caught in an explosion and it being minor," Cloud said quickly. He didn't ask for details because Zack said it wasn't that big of a deal.

Sephiroth snorted. "He would downplay his sunburn with an explosion. He had some pretty bad burns and his back was even blistered because he was being … Zack."

Cloud nodded. Zack sometimes had an odd sense of humour and a strange way of explaining things. He waited for him to continue. The room was silent. He looked up at Sephiroth who had a confused look on his face.

"Even a First Class SOLDIER has bad days," Sephiroth said finally.

Cloud froze mid chew. Was Sephiroth trying to cheer him up? He looked at him and still couldn't read his face. "Zack is better at lifting people's spirits than I am. Did I screw up the words?"

Cloud swallowed the food in his mouth before he answered. "No, you did well. I just …" Cloud hesitated. "I wasn't expecting it from you." He blushed slightly as he said it and waited for a reaction. He wasn't good with his words either.

Sephiroth cleared his throat, had some of his tea, and then his eyes closed. Cloud hunched. Great, he annoyed Sephiroth. He was going to end up in the rain again.

They sat in silence and ate. Cloud stole odd looks at Sephiroth. He couldn't tell if he really had annoyed him or if he were just ignoring him on purpose. He ate half the sandwich, some cheese and some grapes, along with two cups of tea.

It was good tea.

"Do you think my clothes will be cleaned by now, sir?" Cloud asked as he finished the last bit of his tea.

"I don't see them being dry until morning." Sephiroth poured more tea in his cup but it was already cold. "The rain is persistent."

Cloud tugged on the hem of his borrowed pants.

"You need not worry. You're staying in here, where it is dry, as I can't have you going around in my clothes," Sephiroth said and swirled the drink in his cup. "Cold tea is just not as good as warm."

"Your clothes." Cloud hated that his voice was too high pitched, almost a squeak.

"They were the easiest to grab, even though they are quite large on you. Are you comfortable enough?" Sephiroth asked and had that weird look on his face.

"I'm staying in here? With you?" Cloud moaned after. He didn't mean to sound so horrified.

"Would you rather sleep with the feathers, straw and bird shit?" Sephiroth said and sounded angry.

"No, no," Cloud said. "It's just that I don't deserve any special treatment because of all the stupid stuff that happened today."

Sephiroth's brow furrowed and he looked confused, or was it angry? Cloud couldn't tell. "I don't understand. Aren't you supposed to make things up to people when they have a bad day?"

Cloud scratched his head. "Well, yeah. I guess so."

"You just seemed miserable, cold and muddy," Sephiroth said, "I thought this would make you feel better."

Sephiroth wanted him to feel better? Cloud tried to make everything connect in his head. "Why would you worry about me?" Sephiroth hardly knew him, why would he care about him?

Sephiroth looked down at his cold cup of tea and turned his head to the side, hiding behind a cascade of hair. "Zackary worries about you."

That explained it. "Zack is a mother hen," Cloud blurted.

"Yes. He can be," Sephiroth said.

"Did he tell you to do this for him?" It angered him a bit. He could take care of himself — most of the time.

"Zack did not put me up to anything."

"Today was just a bad day. I'm not normally so incompetent."

"Didn't I state today that everyone has bad days?" Sephiroth said. "I must not have been clear."

Cloud then realized that he was arguing with Sephiroth. He covered his face. Could he screw up things even more than his other entire list of stupid things that he had done today? He rested his head on the table. "I'm sorry, sir," he whispered into his hands. "I'll go sleep in the barn."

He waited to be told to go and the silence in the room was painful. He didn't want to move unless he was told. He had done everything so wrong all day. He was certain his career was completely over now. There was no chance for recovery.

After all, who in their right mind argued with Sephiroth?

A hand fell on his shoulder and he jumped off the stool. He was glad that he had enough sense to grab his pants before they pooled around his ankles.

Sephiroth jumped back as well. "You don't need to go sleep in the barn." He looked like he was trying to say something else and tilted his head again, hiding behind his hair. "I don't think I was following Zackary's advice all that well."

He stared at Sephiroth. "Zackary's advice?" he repeated.

Sephiroth looked at him through his hair. "Yes."

They stared at each other for a bit and Cloud finally broke the silence. "You asked Zackary for advice?"

Sephiroth nodded.

"About me?"

Sephiroth nodded again.

"Why?"

"I was curious about you."

"Me?" He hated that his voice still squeaked when he spoke at times like these.

"Yes, you," Sephiroth said and finally stood up straight and threw some hair over his shoulder. "Zackary talks about you all the time. He calls you his best friend. I have seen you on other missions and in training, and your days are not all like this. There is a lot of promise in you and I can see the traits I like in a person in you."

Cloud didn't know if he should be flattered or worried.

"I figured this mission would allow us to get to know each other."

"You want to get to know me? Do you have the right Cloud?" Cloud tugged on the pants a little higher as he had let them slip a bit. "I mean, I'm a country hick from a stupid little mountain town that gets sick when riding in a transport vehicle. I'm nothing special."

"You have many good traits. You are agile, quick, smart, innovative and very attractive," Sephiroth said.

Cloud blinked and let go of his pants but recovered them before they exposed anything.

"And those are not Zackary's words," Sephiroth said. "He told me to be more subtle, but I'm really bad at being subtle and I upset you."

"But you don't really know me," Cloud said.

"I would like to," Sephiroth said and took a step forward, but then hesitated before taking another.

Cloud blinked at Sephiroth, his heart was racing and his brain had shut down. "I guess we can do that," he finally was able to say.

Sephiroth smiled; really smiled. It looked nice. "So, do you still want to go sleep in the barn?"

"No. I'll stay here," Cloud said and smiled back.

"I have to go check the troops but will be back. I will bring more tea and we can try to talk a bit more." Sephiroth said and took a step forward to stand in front of him. "May I be bold?"

"Huh?"

Cloud was not expecting Sephiroth to bend down and touch his lips with his own. He just about let go of his pants and that would have been a very bad thing to happen at the moment.

"Was that too bold?" Sephiroth asked as he pulled back.

"No," Cloud said and realized he sounded breathless.

Sephiroth started to get dressed to go out in the rain. He watched him from where he stood, his cheeks so red as all he could feel was the pressure that was no longer on his lips.

Sephiroth gave him a smile as he went out into the rain. Cloud staggered to the couch and sat down.

Sephiroth had kissed him.

He was going to find out all that Zack had told Sephiroth about him, and maybe he could get enough courage to kiss him back without turning as red as a beet.

The horrible day was turning out to be the best day that he ever had.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Guest appearance by Joseph... (I know how you all love to hate the guy but I needed a bungler that wasn't Zack here)
> 
> Enjoy. MY FIRST SEPHIROTH AND CLOUD STORY. Birthday present for lady-yuna7. Happy 18th!!!
> 
> I am going to go faint over here now... .


End file.
